


You're More To Me

by SaraJaye



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Assault, Class Issues, Eye Trauma (past), M/M, Past Abuse, Pre-Slash, Protective Leo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-16
Updated: 2016-07-16
Packaged: 2018-07-24 07:36:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,130
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7499649
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SaraJaye/pseuds/SaraJaye
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He's known since day one he's not welcome here, retainer or not, so he's hardly surprised when a few nobles make that especially clear. Once again, it's Lord Leo to the rescue.</p>
            </blockquote>





	You're More To Me

He knows he's not exactly welcome here. Lord Leo's retainer or not, he still made his entrance trying to rob the place and these people don't let a guy live things down so easily. Even Nohr, a kingdom that doesn't give a damn where you come from as long as you're strong, doesn't like lowlifes sneaking in to steal stuff.

Niles doesn't much like these people, either, with their turned-up noses and their evil eyes and judging faces, their whispers. _A common thief, a street rat, he tried to rob the royal palace, why didn't the king have him put to death when the prince wouldn't?_ But these puffed-up nobles are all talk, no action. He's not worried, not when he could fill them with arrows in less than a second if Lord Leo let him.

So of course that makes it easy for a couple noble boys around Lady Camilla's age to corner him one night during a ball. Lord Leo's been "conveniently distracted" by some pushy lady demanding he dance with her wallflower of a daughter, everyone's too busy stuffing themselves and showing off to notice some missing retainer.

He barely pays attention to what they say, or the punches thrown at him. _Dirty thief, doesn't belong here, Lord Leo should've killed you, garbage, worthless,_ most of it's nothing he hasn't heard before. Their hands sting, but they're weak, nowhere near the burly mass that pinned him down and drove a dagger into his eye just because he couldn't pay for some stupid fruit.

He does hear Lord Leo's voice, though, angry words followed by a familiar chant. Niles can't help chuckling when one of the boys actually pisses his pants in fear and another cries for his _little sister_ to save him.

" _Get out of here!"_ Lord Leo roars. The little pricks flee, and Niles slumps against the wall, wincing as he realizes some of those punches hurt more than he thought. He tastes blood, and Lord Leo's instantly at his side, holding a handkerchief under his nose. He doesn't take it away until he's sure the bleeding's stopped.

"Let's go to the infirmary," he says quietly. "Elise's nanny should be there, she'll fix you up." Only when Niles gets a look at himself in a mirror does he notice he's actually been roughed up pretty bad. Those little noble brats couldn't punch or gouge as hard as his old cronies, but his clothes are torn and he's bruised and-

_Shit._ The eyepatch, they knocked it out of place. Niles's hands rush to fix it, luckily Lord Leo doesn't say anything.

 

Lady Elise's nanny never shuts up, but she's nicer to him than most of Krackenburg's been. She cleans the dried blood, puts salve on his bruises and scrapes and brings him a glass of warm milk. It's awful but he drinks it anyway.

"It will help you sleep, and you need plenty of rest after what you've been through," she insists as she and Lord Leo help him back to his quarters. She tucks him into bed like she's his mother or something, and Niles makes a face but doesn't argue.

When she leaves, Lord Leo turns to him with an expression Niles can't place. Anger, yes, but...worry? Pity?

"They will not get away with what they did," he says sharply. "I will speak to Father, they were completely out of line and I will ensure that their punishment is severe."

"Good. Save me a front row seat, I like watching people in pain," Niles says with a smirk. Leo sighs, shaking his head.

"This isn't about giving people a show, Niles. Those men _hurt you_ , and I can't let that slide. What they did was unforgivable." Niles shrugs.

"I've had worse. Trust me, you don't want to know what my life was before I met you. Let's just say those were little kid hands compared to-"

" _Niles._ " Leo's hands grip his all of a sudden, and Niles senses something different. "They _attacked you._ They attacked you, and..." His voice drops to almost a whisper. "And I wasn't there to stop them. I shouldn't have left you alone, I should have-"

"Lord Leo, please." Niles rolls his eye. "I'm not your delicate damsel, I'm your _retainer._ It's _my_ job to protect _you_ , my getting the shit beaten out of me by some brats..." He smiles bitterly. "It was bound to happen anyway. I know I'm not the most popular guy here...hell, I'm just surprised they took this long to do it."

"Niles..."

"I could've taken them down in seconds if I wanted to," Niles goes on. "But hey, a guy like me beating up on a bunch of nobles? I'd get thrown out of here, and that'd leave you without a retainer." He's unaware of the tremble in his voice or his body until Lord Leo lets go of his hands and touches his face. Niles flinches, remembering how his eyepatch had come off earlier. "D-don't..."

"This isn't okay, Niles. You're more than just my retainer," Lord Leo whispers. "I like to think you're my friend now, after all the time we've spent getting to know one another." He smiles a little sadly. "You're the first friend I've ever had outside my family or my books."

Niles squeezes his eye shut, fighting back the prickling sensation growing there. The words from earlier come back to him, _dirty thief, doesn't belong here, Lord Leo should've killed you, garbage, worthless._

Anyone else would let them get away with that, tell Niles to keep quiet because those brats are so important and it would make a mess of things, lead to a scandal.

_I will speak to Father, they were completely out of line and I will ensure that their punishment is severe._ King Garon, who still gives Niles the evil eye, even he can't refuse a request from his own son or turn down a chance to pull rank on some brats.

_You're more than just my retainer._

Niles's eye opens, and Lord Leo's still looking at him, his face uncommonly gentle as Niles is swept into an awkward embrace.

"Ah..."

"No one will ever do that to you again," Lord Leo whispers. "On my honor as a Prince of Nohr, and as your friend." Niles manages a smile, he can already sense the plans cooking in Leo's brain, and he knows he'll have a show tomorrow.

"Thank you, Lord Leo." Leo nods, pulling him closer, stroking his back.

"Get some sleep. I won't leave your side." And Niles slumps against his shoulder, breathing deeply, nestling more into Leo's embrace as he closes his eye. A few tears escape but he barely feels them, only the warmth and safety as he tumbles into a dreamless sleep.


End file.
